2023 Honda CR-V First Look: Poised for a Best SUV Threepeat?

The 2022 Chicago Auto Show gave us our first real chance to crawl around the 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Obsidian model, which went on sale late last year. As the name implies and as we explained at the time, this variant based on the mid-grade Series II trim caters to fans of the blacked-out look. The example shown in Chicago also gave us one of our first experiences of a bench-seat-equipped eight-passenger Grand Wagoneer. So let's climb into this latest 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer's interior and have a look around.

ford mustang-mach-e Full OverviewLest you think we don't read your letters, we get it: You think a Ford Mustang should be a two-door, rear-drive, V-8-powered pony car. But let's face facts, shall we? The Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV is very much here and very much a Mustang; it even says so on the label. But that's not to say there hasn't been room for improvement; for example, Ford launched the Mustang Mach-E last year without a higher-powered GT variant at the outset. That's like rolling out a new-generation Mustang without a V-8 to start. It took them a while, but the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition is finally here, so naturally we strapped our test gear on it to find out if the wait was worth it.Mustang Mach-E GT and Mach-E—What's the Difference? What Is the Performance Edition?Like the decades of gas-powered Mustangs that've preceded it, the Mustang Mach-E GT follows the same tried-and-true formula: make a sportier-looking, better-handling, and more powerful pony SUV. The standard Mustang Mach-E GT sports two upsized permanent-magnet electric motors—one at each axle—good for a combined 480 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque, backed up by the Mach-E's larger 93-kWh battery pack, upsized brake rotors, a retuned suspension, and 20-inch wheels wrapped in performance-oriented all-seasons. The Mach-E GT Performance Edition takes things a bit further. Although horsepower is unchanged, torque rises to 634 lb-ft, and it also gets MagneRide dampers, sticky summer rubber, and upgraded Brembo brakes at the front wheels. Range falls by just 10 miles versus the standard Mustang Mach-E GT, from 270 miles to 260.Does the Mustang Mach-E GT Feel Like a Mustang on the Road? How Fast Is It?Straight-line speed is traditionally where a Mustang GT offers the most thrills, and the Mach-E GT Performance Edition is no exception. Although it isn't as violent off the line as some other high-performance electric SUVs, the Ford launches hard, and without a more conventional transmission to deal with, its twin motors are almost always in the meat of their powerband. Interestingly, the Mach-E's power starts to quickly taper off as you near triple-digit speeds—something that undoubtedly affected its performance numbers.With our test gear strapped into the passenger seat and GPS receiver gaff-taped to the roof, the Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition's best 0-60-mph run took 3.6 seconds, just a tenth of a second behind the last 2021 Tesla Model Y Performance we tested, but seven-tenths quicker than the V-8-powered 2021 Mustang Mach 1. Weirdly, our best launches weren't made using the Mach-E's sport mode (cheekily named "Unbridled"), but in the default "Engage" drive mode. We found Engage to be quicker for both our 0-60 and quarter-mile runs, the latter of which saw the Mach-E GT run down the dragstrip in 12.6 seconds at 100.6 mph. That ties the latest Mustang Mach 1's quarter-mile time (though 12.5 mph slower), but it lags significantly behind a Model Y Performance, which runs the quarter in 12.0 seconds at 114.7 mph."Very strong low-end acceleration, but when it got beyond 80 mph, there was a very noticeable power drop, also indicated on the power bar on the instrument cluster," road test analyst Alan Lau said.The Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition's braking and handling didn't disappoint, either. It hides its nearly 5,000 pounds well with quick and precise steering, and its firm yet not punishing ride mitigates body roll. Things get particularly fun in Unbridled mode with traction and stability control off; this EV SUV allows a surprising(ly fun) amount of oversteer. Its stopping power is particularly good, too. "The best of any EV I've tested," road test editor Chris Walton said of the Mach-E GT's brakes. "They are highly effective and very well tuned for trail-braking: easy to predict, control, and release."Walton's impressions hold up when breaking down the Mustang EV's 60-0-mph and figure-eight test numbers. On the former, the Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition stops in just 105 feet—that's 9 feet longer than a Mach 1 but 8 shorter than a more comparable Model Y Performance. On the figure eight, it busted out a 24.9-second lap at 0.78 g average in Unbridled Extend mode—a sport performance mode designed to keep the battery and motors in their optimal temperature range for autocross and track days. Although the mode worked as advertised, the Mach-E generally needed to sit parked for at least 15 minutes before we could get it to engage. The Mach-E GT's lap is just a tenth of a second and 0.01 g less than a Model Y Performance, but not surprisingly it lags a fair bit behind a Mustang Mach 1, which lapped the course in 23.7 seconds at 0.82 g.A Nerdy Note on Charging the Mustang Mach-E GTAlthough the Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition doesn't disappoint on the road, we're a bit perplexed by its Level 3 DC battery charging speed. It's nominally rated for a 150-kW peak rate (to put that in perspective, Teslas max out at a 250-kW peak, while the 2022 Kia EV6—a direct competitor—will allow for a 350-kW peak). In real-world testing, the Mustang Mach-E's charge curve was aggressively conservative.Utilizing a 350-kW Electrify America fast charger,  it took us 41 minutes to charge from 15  to 80 percent capacity, which is bang on what Ford advertises the Mach-E to be capable of achieving. (Plugging it into a 350-kW charger is a bit like filling up a Prius with premium, but we chose that particular charger because we knew it worked well.) So, what's the problem? Our issue is that once you get past that 80 percent rate—like, say, if you'd like to add a little bit more of a range buffer during a road trip—the charge rate drops from the low-90-kW range to just 13 kW, or about the rate a Level 2 overnight charger delivers electricity to a vehicle. Long story long, it will lead to Mach-E owners spending more time than they need to at the charger.There isn't another EV on the market we can recall that has such a slow post-80 percent charge rate, so we reached out to Ford for comment. A spokesperson told us the automaker designed the slow post-80 percent rate in an attempt to maximize the Mustang's battery life but that it has committed "to expand [the DC fast charge] curve 'ceiling' to greater than 80 percent state of charge through a Ford Power-Up over-the-air software update." No official word on what the new ceiling will be, but Ford's general manager of battery electric vehicles told InsideEVs the automaker is currently looking at raising the fast-charge ceiling from 80  to 90 percent. No word yet on when Mach-E owners can expect the over-the-air update.How Much Does the Mustang Mach-E Cost?Prices for the Mustang Mach-E GT are competitive for the segment, with prices starting at $61,000. That undercuts the Model Y Performance ($65,190 this week), even when you match equipment levels. The Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition's value proposition is a little murkier. The package adds $5,000 to the bottom line, and if you opt for the panoramic glass roof, Ford's BlueCruise advanced driver assist system, and a premium color like that found on our test car, the sticker balloons to an as-tested price of $69,800.So, Is the Mach-E GT Really a Mustang?The Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition doesn't look or sound like a traditional Mustang, but the performance it offers certainty lives up to the promises implied by the Mustang GT name. While it isn't perfect, the electrified pony SUV is a promising rethink of what the Mustang is, and what it can be.Looks good! More details?2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E4x (Performance Edition) Specifications BASE PRICE $66,000 PRICE AS TESTED $69,800 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front and rear-motor, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV MOTOR TYPE Permanent-magnet electric POWER (SAE NET) 480 hp TORQUE (SAE NET) 634 lb-ft TRANSMISSION 1-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4,980 lb (50/50%) WHEELBASE 117.5 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 186.7 x 74.1 x 63.5 in 0-60 MPH 3.6 sec QUARTER MILE 12.6 sec @ 100.6 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 105 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.96 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 24.9 sec @ 0.78 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 88/75/82 mpg-e EPA RANGE, COMB 260 miles ON SALE Now Show All

The automotive industry is in a tight squeeze right now, wedged within the transition from internal-combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) amid a global pandemic, a war in Europe, and supply constraints and rising material costs. Several BEV automakers including Tesla, Hummer, Lucid, and Rivian have raised their prices in recent weeks, and other automakers have delayed orders, limited buyer options, and in some cases, shipped vehicles without supply-limited components, with a promise to fulfill missing parts when supplies are available. And here is why it's not likely to change very soon.That's the outlook through 2024, according to a report from industry analyst AlixPartners. In particular, the report says semiconductor shortages will continue to negatively impact new vehicle production through the next couple of years, caused in part by the rising market share of BEVs planned to go on sale as the majority of the industry shifts away from internal combustion.BEVs will increase chip demand at a growth rate of 55 percent per year, according to the study, which will remain a key bottleneck in new vehicle production. That means that, as automakers introduce a lineup of new BEVs, the technical requirements of these new vehicles will increase the strain of supply because BEVs typically require more chips than ICE vehicles.That will likely force automakers to continue to hold back on production levels, meaning the number of cars on sale will probably remain limited for a few more years. This gives automakers more pricing power if demand for new cars remains high, so cars likely won't get any cheaper anytime soon.That doesn't necessarily mean automakers are making too much profit from higher pricing. As an example, via CNBC, Ford recently said the Mustang Mach-E has lost most of its profitability due to rising commodity costs.Pricing will continue to be negatively impacted by rising material costs, for both new BEVs and ICE vehicles. AlixPartners puts the raw material costs for ICE vehicles at $3,662 per vehicle, and BEVs materials cost more than twice that at $8,255 per vehicle since the battery and motor requirements require more raw materials.Those costs per vehicle are more than double what they were just two years ago, according to CNBC, reflecting the impact of the market constraints mentioned above.AlixPartners predicts that BEVs will only overtake ICE vehicles in the majority of market share way out in 2035, as suppliers and automakers likely scale back or slow down the recently rapid introduction of the resource-heavy, higher priced BEV models planned to be introduced, and customer interest and EV infrastructure need time to grow.AlixPartners says $48 billion in infrastructure investment is needed by 2030, but so far only $11 billion has been committed, so infrastructure support for BEVs will be catching up for years to come.